So many people fear the devil. We hear stories all the time about people being afraid of ghosts, and demons, and even some Devil in the water. People here are afraid that someone will put Ju Ju on them, or even a curse. They are fearful of the Devil.
But does the devil fear anyone? Does the Devil fear God?
James 1:29 “even the demons believe and shudder”
• James was saying that even the demons know who Jesus is…
Matthew 8:29 “And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
• Jesus healing a man with two demons
Mark 1:24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”
Demons inside a man professed who Jesus was…
• Revelation 20:10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The devil knows his fate, who will win & who will lose.
Yes, the devil fears God. And if he fears God, then he also fears Jesus and the Holy Spirit who together are one God.
What about you. Does he fear you? Should he fear you? The way you live your life here on earth, are you living in a way that the devil should fear you? Does the devil see you wake up in the morning, get out of bed, and think, “Oh no, what is he going to do against me today?” Have you ever thought about that? In other words, is your day filled with bringing a worry to the devil, or is your day filled with the devil giving no mind to you because you are not affecting him in any way?
So, I want you to consider this morning this question, “Is the devil worried about you?”
Turn in your Bible to Acts 19:11-17
Overview:
o Paul is in Ephesus, and he is preparing to go to Rome and stand before Caesar to share the gospel.
o As he is in Ephesus, he is preaching the gospel and healing people in the name of Jesus Christ. It even said that the power of God was so strong on Paul that even is someone were to touch something that he had touched, that it would have the power to heal them. I don’t know about you, but that reminds me of the woman who was tormented because of her constant bleeding and so she sought Jesus, she heard he was coming to her town, so she went, and as he passed by she reached out and simply touch the cloth from what he was wearing, and she was healed. That same power that Jesus had to heal as the Son of God in human form was also given to Paul. But he knew the source, he knew that the power that he had to heal was from God and only God.
o There were some people under the order of a man named Sceva. Now the scripture tells us that Sceva was a Jewish high priest, but he wasn’t what we think of when we read of a high priest like Aaron of Melchizedek in the Bible. He may have been given this title by his own people or family because of what they did.
o So there were these 7 sons of Sceva. They were travelers who would go around and try to bring out demons from people, they were known as exorcists. But they were no doing this by the Word or power of God, they were trying to do it within their own power, and it must not have been working well since they wanted to adopt the method Paul was using. They had probably seen Paul casting out Demons and said, well we can do that. We just need to say, “In the name of Jesus”
o But look at how they tried to cast out demons, look at their words in verse 13: Acts 19:13 (ESV)
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure (urge or request) you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”
At first, when we see the words they spoke, it seems like they carry power. They said, “In the name of Jesus.” That’s good, that is where the true power comes from. Then they said, “whom Paul proclaims.” Again, not bad. No question, Paul was acting by the authority of God, and in Acts, we see other times where he healed people and cast out demons. But look at the response of the demon in verse 15: Acts 19:15-16 (ESV)
15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”
16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
What was the difference? Why was the demon not fearing these men who were trying to cast them out?
The demon said I know Jesus… Satan knows Jesus, his demons know Jesus. Satan is always waring against God and his children.
I recognize Paul…Satan knew who Paul was. Once Paul was part of the front line of war for Satan. He was a human on earth trying to do what Satan himself does, discourage, confuse, and ultimately try to snuff out the movement of the Way… the Gospel Message going forward into all the world.
So, the demon said I know Jesus, I recognize Paul…. But who are you? It seemed that these exorcists were not known by Satan or his demons? Why? Because they were not going against Satan. They were not known because they were not a problem to the Devil’s work. The words they were saying were just that, words. Now don’t get me wrong, the name of Jesus is powerful! But, when they are used by someone who does not have the Holy Spirit residing in them, they are simply just words. They have no power. How many people today call themselves Christians, but the “Christian-speak” that they use have no power because they truly do not have the spirit of God within them.
In 1881 there was an English man name Charles Studd. He was very good at Cricket, in fact, he was thought to be the best athlete in England at that time. He had become a Christin while in University years before but was just living a simple life, playing ball. His older brother got sick and died, and that really got Charles to thinking, about life and death, and even eternity. This is what he wrote once:
"What is all the fame and flattery worth ... when a man comes to face eternity?" He had to admit that since his conversion six years earlier he had been in "an unhappy backslidden state". As a result of the experience he said, "I know that cricket would not last, and honour would not last, and nothing in this world would last, but it was worthwhile living for the world to come."
Charles Studd quit cricket, in the prime of his career, and he devoted his life to sharing the Gospel. First, as a missionary, he went to China for 10 years. After that, he wanted to go where the gospel was not being shared so he went to India. Then he heard that there were large portions of Africa that had never heard the name Jesus, so he came to Africa and went to Sudan.
When I read of someone like this, who gives everything they have so that others will know about Jesus, I think, the Devil Knows His Name.
Charles Studd said this one time: “I pray that when I die, all of hell will rejoice that I am no longer in the fight.”
Does the devil fear you? Does he know your name?
How can we get the Devil to know our name?
1. Committed Heart: Romans 10:10 (ESV)
10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Believe doesn’t just mean to understand or acknowledge, but believe means that you are all in. Paul told the church in Corinth that we need to be a servant, always ready to do the will of the Master.
2. Committed Mind: Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
This is Paul writing to the church at Philippi, telling them they need to have the mind of Christ. Look at the things he includes (underlined). This is how Jesus thought in his mind, our mind needs to be committed in the same way.
3. Committed Life- James 2:17 (ESV)
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
To say I am a Christian is not enough, but to show you are a Christian, that is who the Devil is afraid of. When we allow the faith that saved us to be strengthened by the works that we exhibit, it is the perfect formula. Faith, believing in something you cannot see, and then expressing that faith through your daily life Let’s all make the Devil angry. Let’s all make sure that he knows us by name. Because when he knows us by name, others will know and call upon the name of Jesus Christ!
Does the devil fear you? Does he know your name? If you are not saved, if you are not living for Jesus, seeking him through his Word, and prayer, loving others, and pointing people to Jesus, the devil has no idea who you are because he does not fear you. He does not need to. But…
If when you wake in the morning, your first thoughts are to God and how you can serve him today. If you make time to read his word, meditate on the things that are important to him, look for ways to make him known, Satan is not happy when you open your eyes for another day.
